1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cover assemblies for wall socket outlets, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a safety outlet cover assembly for preventing unauthorized access to a wall socket outlet.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Because of the inquisitive nature of children, many children have received electrical shocks by inserting foreign objects into a wall socket outlet. As an aid in the prevention of shock by deterring small children from gaining access to wall socket outlets, safety outlet covers have heretofore been proposed. Typical of such prior art devices is the "Crib Pals" Safety Outlet Cover, manufactured by Lucky Star Enterprises & Co., Lit., No. 210 An Ho Road, Taipai, Taiwan. The before described safety outlet cover, which is employed as a replacement cover for a conventional wall plate, comprises a cover plate having a spring biased member containing a plurality of holes alignable with the female openings in the wall socket outlet when an electrical plug is disposed within the holes of the member and the member is caused to rotate approximately one-quarter of a turn. Thereafter, the plug can be inserted into the outlet. Such a cover assembly, while restricting direct access to the wall socket outlet, does not prevent or eliminate the possibility of a small child sticking an object into the holes of the biased member and rotating the biased member to a position so that the object can be brought into contact with the wall socket outlet.
While the prior art devices, such as the safety outlet cover described above, have met with some success, problems have nevertheless been encountered in that small children and other persons are still allowed to obtain unauthorized access to the wall socket outlet; that is, such persons can insert an object into the holes of the blocking member and with little effort rotate the blocking member to a position so that the object can be inserted into the wall socket outlet. Therefore, it would be highly desirable if one could construct a safety outlet cover assembly which would substantially eliminate or prevent unauthorized access to the wall socket outlet, while at the same time permitting authorized access to the wall socket outlet to be achieved with minimal effort.